Homebrew Stoneborn (DELVE) Species Details

 Any dungeon worth delving bears at least one sculpture to awe its visitors. Whether it’s a beautiful rendering of a long-lost hero, the petrified form of an unfortunate adventurer, or an ominously watchful gargoyle, statues and dungeons go together like pressure plates and poison darts. In rare cases, these stone fixtures can come alive; awakened by blundering adventurers, imbued with ancient magic, or by some other arcane mishap. Once granted the free will to explore their dark birthplace – or flee from it – these sapient statues often turn to a life of adventure.

Life Infused Contructs

Though seemingly made from solid stone, a stoneborn is more person that construct in most respects. Despite its appearance, its form is lighter, more supple, and not quite as impenetrable as ordinary stone. The stoneborn can also be healed and harmed in much the same ways as their flesh-and- blood peers.

That doesn’t mean that stoneborn adventurers are entirely like their more fleshy counterparts. Due to their construct nature, they don’t need to eat, breathe, or sleep. Furthermore, they can will their form to harden and become solid stone, making them indistinguishable from a mundane statue – and just as difficult to harm.

Stoneborn Personality

Like any other race, the stoneborn’s demeanor, outlook, and values vary greatly from one individual to another. If there is one trait that is common among the stoneborn, it’s that they’re often imbued with a stoic nature. Decades, or even centuries, as an inanimate object have made them accustomed to quiet observation. Stoneborn often listen well and exhibit tempered reactions even to dramatic events, though their immutable memory holds onto a promise as easily as a grudge. Though stoneborn are too few in number to form societies, any that encounter each other are usually quick to exchange anecdotes about the dungeons or castles they used to occupy. Some stoneborn will even bestow such pleasantries on inanimate statues they find – just so introductions are out of the way should their “friend” come alive in the future!

 

Playing a Stoneborn Character

When creating a stoneborn character, regardless of whether you were always a statue or became one, it’s a good idea to consider who created you and why, how you were brought to life, and what your character wants to do with their mobility and agency. Note also that the stoneborn don’t have to be made from stone. At the GM’s discretion, your stoneborn character could be made from metal, crystal, bone, or another material of your choosing!

Stoneborn (DELVE) Traits

Your stoneborn character has the following traits.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

A typical stoneborn is between two and thirty years old. The maximum stoneborn lifespan remains a mystery; so far, stoneborn have shown no signs of deterioration due to age. You are immune to magical aging effects.

Alignment

Most stoneborn take comfort in order and discipline, tending toward law and neutrality. But some have absorbed the morality, or lack thereof, of the beings with which they served.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Constructed Resilience

Your constructed nature gives you the following benefits:

• You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
• You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.
• You are immune to disease.
• You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Stone's Rest

To gain the benefit of a long rest, you must be Petrified using your Stone Form for six hours.

Stone Form

As a bonus action, you can choose to become Petrified until you’re reduced to 0 hit points or you choose to end the effect at the start of your turn (no action required). While Petrified in this way, you are indistinguishable from an inanimate statue but remain aware of your surroundings.

Petrified Stoneborn

As a stoneborn, being Petrified affects you in the following ways:

• You become inanimate stone along with any nonmagical objects you’re wearing or carrying. Your weight increases by a factor of ten.
• You are Incapacitated and can’t move or speak, but remain aware of your surroundings.
• Attack rolls against you have advantage.
• You automatically fail Strength and Dexterity saves.
• You have resistance to all damage.
• You are immune to poison and disease. A poison or disease already in your system is suspended.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.